Tesco - the supermarket that's eating Britain

I was just in Palm Springs and on the news Tesco was opening a branch in either Riverside or Coachella Valley.  Guess its payback for Wal-Mart coming over here!

They're in the US, now?!? 

I'm a tescos fan..Main reason--home delivery and good prices compared to Sainsburys.

I don't listen to the whole tescos evil stuff and how tescos getting to become so big.
 I really don't care.
I go to their site, pick my groceries, pay them and they bring it to my door. And thats the end of the relationship.

If they wanna build more stores or do this and do that, I don't care. As long as it doesn't interfer in what I want from them

I heard a story on NPR a while ago when they were talking to people who choose to shop at Wal-Mart. I was surprised how many people who shop there actually don't want to. When that's the only store for 60 miles (or more!), they don't really have much choice. It's their only option since the family owned businesses have had to close due to the competition.

There used to be dozens of neighborhood shops in our area.  There is not one left, not one. I hate not feeling like i have a choice in who i buy from, but in our area, theres not much choice and there is no choice that is local or not a major chain. 

They're in the US, now?!? 

I read about their US expansion on the BBC website recently....

Aha... here's the link!

As long as it doesn't interfer in what I want from them

I think the point is that it's already interfering with a lot of people and what they want. Never mind that if they continue to expand the way they are, you can bet your bottom dollar that prices will start to rise when there's less and less competition.

Yep, world domination, coming right up!!

As long as it doesn't interfer in what I want from them

Whether you realise it or not, it's already affecting you and what you buy. Tesco's (and the other monsters) dictate what is sold. They tell you what your choices are.

What's going to happen when you want to buy something and it isn't on the shelves in your Tesco? And you realise that there aren't any other shops to choose from? Don't you want your children to grow up in a world with choice? Don't you think they'll really be missing out on something special if their only shopping options are massive, impersonal megastores full of plastic-tasting vegetables shipped from the other side of the world?

It's probably good to remember that everyone has the right to make the choice that is best for them.

It's probably good to remember that everyone has the right to make the choice that is best for them.

Yes but you have to be presented with a choice in the first place.

Whether you realise it or not, it's already affecting you and what you buy. Tesco's (and the other monsters) dictate what is sold. They tell you what your choices are.

What's going to happen when you want to buy something and it isn't on the shelves in your Tesco? And you realise that there aren't any other shops to choose from? Don't you want your children to grow up in a world with choice? Don't you think they'll really be missing out on something special if their only shopping options are massive, impersonal megastores full of plastic-tasting vegetables shipped from the other side of the world?

Well said.  You can only buy what is offered for sale. The point is to encourage more diversity in what is available.

I didn't see the program on Tesco but I did hear somewhere that they have 43% of the market share and I am sure its growing...that's way too much!  I loathe Tesco! Going into the store is a nightmare (people are like crazed animals and the quality of the fruit and veg is not very nice). I have also heard that they bully their suppliers.

My vote is with Waitrose! M&S...on occasion but it can get tough going with the town centre crowd. We don't have any nice green grocer in town and the farmers market is not very nice. Even if we spend £10-15 more a week at Waitrose....at least its civil and the fresh food is fab!  We can cut back in other area's if we need to.

The civility and quality at Waitrose is worth it! It sounds silly but that store has completely lowered my stress level.

PS - Waitrose is always fully stocked and has friendly workers who are available on the floor if you need assistance finding a product. Another huge bonus...gosh, I feel like I am back in the states when I shop there as I have never encountered a grim person... employee or fellow shopper.  Sorry to go on about it...but my Tesco experiences have been the complete opposite.

Yes but you have to be presented with a choice in the first place. 

There is a choice. Certainly not the best and could do with an overhaul, but we're all entitled to make a choice - whatever it is. 

Shopping where we live (Inverness) is dominated by Tesco.

Britwife, I always laugh when I hear your Inverness Tesco stories! I had a friend up there I used to visit every couple of months. I don't have a Tesco near me so it was always funny wandering around in one (both in Inverness) up in Scotland.  

I think my Sainsbury's is a dump and it's cheap product appearance doesn't make a difference on what I spend.

I prefer Waitrose and really don't see much of a price difference. I just wish it was a tad closer to me and not down at the bottom of the hill!

Jules, I totally agree with what you said!!

There is a choice. Certainly not the best and could do with an overhaul, but we're all entitled to make a choice - whatever it is. 

I think we're talking at cross purposes.  There is no flipping choice where I live. It's Tesco or bust! And that means we can pretty much just live on whatever Tesco choses to sell. But yes it was our choice to live in Inverness.  But I don't think this is what you were referring to ...?

And I think the whole point of this story about Tesco is that you should educate yourself as much as possible about all the places you do business with (supermarkets, banks, clothes, etc) and make the best choices you can. Yes, you may, for now, be chosing the lesser of evils. But you have to start somewhere.

Ignorance is bliss I guess but I choose NOT to live that way.

The high street specialists still exist in some places. I'm fortunate to live near an terrific butcher, greengrocer, hardwares store, pet hop and chemist. The shopkeepers bend over backwards to help me, and everyone knows everyone else. It's just like the old days, and I feel lucky to be able to experience this quickly vanishing way of life. I'm not working now, so I can drop off my kid at school and stroll over to the shops. Still, it doesn't provide everything, and I get the bulk of my groceries at Morrison's or Sainsbury's, or Waitrose for the important stuff (like bread: can't beat their bread!). Bath is Tesco-free--for now.

But, yes, if Tesco is the only thing for 30 miles, then what can you do? If I don't have to shop at Tesco I won't. In the U.S. I didn't have to shop at Walmart and stayed clear of it.

Most people would probably like to live in a neighbourhood or village with a butcher, baker and candlestick maker all doing a brisk business on the local high street but the fact is those days are long gone.

It’s easy to say that chain stores are putting mom and pop shops out of business and to some extent they are by driving up real estate prices but they are also filling a void.

Does anyone personally know any bakers? Any butchers . . . raise your hands? Fishmongers . . . not a peep. That’s because the work is hard and the hours atrocious. Individual shops, at least food-based, are dying out because it seems to me that no one in Britain wants to do those jobs anymore.

The debate is framed between choosing between big chains versus small shops but in reality if it weren’t for the chains it may well be that many high streets would be plagued by empty storefronts.

I live in London (in a neighbourhood with a decent high street) and you would think that the world would be at my doorstep but I had to travel half-way across town to find a decent place to buy fish --and don’t get me started about bread. I’m sorry but the blame can’t be placed solely on Tesco and their ilk. Being big makes them an easy scapegoat for a problem that is much more complex.